Device for handling marble slabs.



G. H. GRIFFIN.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING MARBLE SLABS.

APPLICATION IILED 11011.20, 1913.

1,103,409. Patented July 14,1914.

I i/ P I E3: I Q g MN I f v CHARLES H. GRIFFIN, OF ULEBURNE, TEXAS.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING MABIBLE SLABS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed November 20, 1913. Serial No. 802,140.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. GRIFFIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cleburne, in the county ofJohnson, State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Han dling Marble Slabs; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for handling marble slabs in such amanner as to safely transport the same manually from place to placewithout danger of scratching the same.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a holderhaving a pair of jaws operatively connected with grips whereby upon thelaborer graspmg the grips and raising the slab the jaws willautomatically tighten frictionally against the slab and secure thelatter against escape.

A further object of the invention is to provide jaws having roundedyielding working faces which engage with the surface of the slab withoutmutilating the same.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of certain noveldetails of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed, it being understood that various modificationsmay be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention :-Figure 1 is aside ele-.

vation showing a pair of my improved holders applied to a slab. Fig. 2is a plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one of the holders. Fig. 4- is a cross sectional view on theline t-l Fig. 1, showing the pivot and the grip of one of the jaws.

fteferring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts, 10 designates a marble slab and 11 and 12designate a pair of holders receiving an end edge portion of the slabtherebetween whereby a laborer may grasp the grips of the holders andcarry the slab to any desired place. Each holder comprises a U-shapedframe including cylindrical sides 13 which form pivot shafts for thejaws to be subsequently described, the sides being braced by a crossbrace let, and there being a substantially U-shaped frame 15 carried bythe first named frame near the bottom thereofand projecting at a slightangle to the latter, the bridge member 16 of this frame being faced witha. rubber sleeve 17 adapted for engagement "with the edge of the slab.Pivotcd eccentrically on each pivot shaft 13 is a jaw 18 that isprovided with an arcuate working face covered with a engages with theedge of the slab. In this position one grip of the tool will be disposedon one side face of the slab while the other grip will be disposed onthe opposite side face of the slab. Two of these tools are applied asabove described, one to each vertical end edge of the slab, there beingthen a grip of each tool disposed on a common face of the slab whereby aworkingman may grasp such grips in his hands. Upon both work-- ingmenlifting, the jaws of both tools will be automatically tightenedfrictionally against the slabs with a resultant anchoring of the toolsto the slab so that the latter may be transported with ease andquickness, During such transportation, by virtue of the working faces ofthe jaws being covered with yielding surfaces, the tools will notscratch or mutilate the marble.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided anextremely simple and inexpensive while at the same time strong anddurable tool of the character described which. will be formed of a fewparts that will. not easily get out of order.

What is claimed, is

1. A slab gripping tool including a frame having the sides forming pivotshafts, a pair of opposed jaws eccentrically mounted on said pivotshafts, a stop frame carried by the first named frame and projectingacross a prolongation of the space between said jaws, and grips mountedon said jaws.

2. A slab gripping tool including a frame having the sides forming pivotshafts, a pair of opposed jaws eccentrically mounted on said shafts andeach having an arcuate yielding working face, a stop frame carried bythe first named frame and projecting on said shafts, a stop framecarried by the first named frame and projecting at a slight anglethereto and extending across a prolongation of the space between saidjaws,

and grips carried by said jaws.

4. A slab gripping tool including a trance having the sides formingpivot shafts, a pair of opposed jaws eccentrically mounted on saidshafts, a stop frame carried by the first named frame and projectingacross a prolongation of the space between said jaws, anda gripv on eachjaw including a stem projecting from the jaw on one side of said pivotshaft, and a hand hold pivotally secured to'said stem.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES H. GRIFFIN. Witnesses J. B. NORTH, B. E. LOOKLIN.

Copies ,of this pat ent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

